oh and sometimes in the chapters it go from first person to third person and thats bc hehe some parts just sounded better with a narator... and i had it in two different fonts on my Word so it was easy to tell... so if you get confused i'm REALLY TOTALLY REALLY SORRY lol

WATHC ME BLEED

keep it real

choose the (right)

---Baileyzzzzzzzz

Chapter 3

Where was I? Who saw me? Who did Heath think he was kidnapping me like this? What was Heath?

"What….?" I couldn't say anything more, even though I wanted to scream.

"Am I?" He chuckled again, "Just a boy? Or maybe something more... Just an elf? Or maybe something more," he flashed his flawless white teeth at me and I yelped. They were pointed. I knew it wasn't true, something was up. Ok, very funny… you got me. Let me go now, I wanted to say, but he continued, gesturing to each feature. "The pointed ears, green eyes, and fangs make for a…… peculiar combination."

My eyes were wide with fear, my skin was white, and my heart had stopped. "What…. Where….. Who…." I was trembling and I, leaning against the wall, sank to the floor shaking my head in shock. "This…. This…..," I laughed half-heartedly, "Oh this is just another one of my crazy dreams… yep! Just a crazy dream. I'm still asleep in that tree… Ha! No! I'm not in the tree! I'm at home! In my bed!" Wake up! Wake up! But of course, I didn't need to be woken up.

When I mentioned "dreams" Heath turned away from me as if hiding something. It was rather strange, but I was too derailed to ask about it. "What are you? What's going on?" I screamed at the top of my lungs. He turned back around and looked me in the eye.

"Erin…" he said coolly, calmingly, "I really think you need to sleep…." he touched my arm and I pulled back. He gazed into my eyes again, "Go……," my eyes lids got heavy, "To…..," I started to lay down, "Sleep…….," he moved my hair away from my face and I was out. There were no dreams that night.

I woke up to a warm room. I was curled up in a red and black blanket and there was a pillow under my head. I saw him sitting by the fire, one profile lit up and one dark. His features were stunning even in this poorly lit room. He was looking at me and stood up slowly.

"Don't freak out, Erin. Don't worry…" he said as he walked closer.

"Will you please tell me what is going on?" I whimpered struggling to sit up and to shake the sleep from me.

"Don't sit up. It's fine. And I will tell you who I am," he said sitting next to me. I lay back down. "I am Heath Teline just as you know me. But, I'm a little something more, this place, this world you are in, is a little something more than Earth." He smiled kindly at my open mouth, wide eyed expression.

More?

"Um…."

"Let me explain. My father," he looked at the floor and smiled. Genuinely. Remembered something, someone, wonderful maybe. He looked back to me, with the smile still, "my father, Abram, was an elf. Thos the ears. And my mother," his smile disappeared, "Mia Glen…. was a vampire."

He continued to tell me about his unique eye color. You see, elves, every single one, has had, will have, deep, brown eyes. And every single vampire has blue eyes. So for Heath to have green is very odd. I sat astonished at all he was telling me. And I was sad because that beautiful, true smile of his never did return.

And to tell you the truth, all that talked explained nothing.

My head was spinning like crazy when my stomach growled, and I closed my eyes in embarrassment. I heard him chuckle and then say, "Oh yeah, you need food. Just stay here-" he paused, mid-sentence, and then said, "You know, I think you'd better come with me." He reached out to carry me, but I backed up against the wall.

"I," I started.

"Nope, you've got to come too….," he looked away from my face as though questioning something. "You know..," and he was gone.

I sat there bewildered, tired, frustrated, and in love. The frustration was the result of the being so smitten. Everything thing he did was so infuriating! But it always left me breathless. His hair was long and his body large and muscular, but his face……

As I was thinking of his godlike face he returned with, of course, a huge smirk on his face.

"Eat," he said, shoving the berries in my direction.

I looked at him suspiciously and he gave me an innocent look. One that I didn't believe for a second, but I still took the fruit. I had no idea what kinds of things would happen to me if I ate these ruby berries, but that didn't seem to stop me. I popped one into my mouth. It was the best berry I had ever tasted. When I plopped more into my mouth the grin on his face got more and more evil. I finally asked why he was smirking at me, which was something he did quite often. (Not that I'm complaining)

"Oh… no reason," he said.

"What are you going to eat?" What a dumb question.

"You're taking all this in very well…," he said ignoring my question, which he also did very much. He said this nodding slightly.

I laughed out loud, "Yeah, just beautifully." I rolled my eyes and looked away. I still refused to believe any of this. It was just... too crazy… I knew it was just a dream. And like many other things, I was wrong.

He was so real, yet surreal in everyway. He smiled understandably. I was very confused. One minute he would be scowling at me and fighting with me and then the next… smiling at me with love and understanding? How I wanted to believe the loving man sitting before me. How pathetic.

"I'm serious, Erin. But among other things," he said. "You need to realize that you might be here for a long time…"

I looked back at him. This couldn't be true. None of this made any sense. Here I was, with Heath, the green eyed vampire-elf, in his little shack, in some crazy world, someone was after me (or him), and I'd have to be here for a very long time? What. The. Fetch.

"What? What are you talking about?" I jumped up and headed for the door.

I felt him again.

"Erin," he hissed in my ear. "Stop it, you can't g-"

I elbowed him in the stomach, but he didn't flinch. Turns out the one saying "ouch" was me. I was sure now. The smells, touches, sounds, pains, even the insanity was all real. I knew it wasn't a dream. He just sighed and scoffed.

He looked up, and shaking his head, said something I didn't understand. He pulled me away from the door and sat me on the floor. "Now," he said, "we'll have none of that, Erin. Its useless and I won't save you next time."

Save me? What in the world was he talking about? He was holding me hostage, not saving me. He turned and looked at me. I glared at him, but he looked blankly back at me.

"What's going on? This really, really, is not funny," I said.

"Whose laughing?" he replied. He never, ever, answered my questions. Yet, I wasn't going to give up. He was going to tell me what was going on.

"Where am I?" I asked.

"You're in my house,"

"But," I looked out the window and pointed, "Where?"

"I told you, not earth. That's all you need to know,"

"Ok…. Why can't I leave 'not earth'?" I asked, getting frustrated.

"I told you all you need to know about that, too. You just can't," he said.

I raised an eyebrow, "You said something about a woman, 'she's seen you'. Who is she?"

"Someone you don't need to hear about, but you need to be cautious," he said so seriously.

This really wasn't helping. I still didn't understand anything. I put my face in my right hand and rubbed my forehead.

"Just do what I say and you'll be fine," said Heath.

My face was still in my hands when I asked, "What did you mean?"

"Just listen to-" he began.

I looked up at him, "No. I mean when you said you wouldn't save me again. What did you mean?"

"If you walk out that door Erin," he said looking me square in the eye and I couldn't look away, "you will be on your own. And that wonderful woman I mentioned will find you. And I will no try to save you."

A shiver ran down my back. I was afraid and we both knew it.

"What does she want?"

"Me," he whispered. That made me sad for some reason; and even more scared.

"Why?" I whispered back.

He looked away and didn't answer. At that moment I realized he was right, I was way too involved in this and I didn't want to know any more. But then again, I wanted to know everything. It was a lost cause, for the time being anyway.

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The days passed by so slowly. We hardly said much to each other; only every now and then the brief question if I was hungry. We just sat there and looked everywhere but the other person. The days got longer, more boring, and harder as they went by. I got so lonely and unhappy I could almost not take it. I refused to let him see me cry though. I kept it all in and it would never come out.

I soon lost track of time. How long had I been with Heath? A week? A month? I didn't know and I didn't care all I wanted was to go home. Also along with feeling alone, I was afraid. I don't know why, but truly, deathly afraid.

Finally I really couldn't take it. It was morning and we had been up for only a little while. Then Heath dropped my food in front of me without even looking at me. He turned to walk to his corner of the shack when I opened my mouth.

"Heath?" My voice broke even in the one word.

"What?" he snapped annoyed. He turned sharply to me, tiredness and- what looked like- hatred flooding in his eyes as tears flooded in mine.

"I'm scared," I whispered. His face softened at the sound and his eyes turned kind. We looked at each other for a very long time.

So long that silent tears began to trickle down my face. And contrary to what I said before I let them fall freely. I didn't even think to wipe them away. I didn't want to hide from him anymore. I wanted him to know how alone I was. How hurt I was. How he hurt me...

He walked slowly over to me, never taking his eyes from mine. Then he sat down effortlessly and took my hand in his. A move I didn't expect, yet a move I didn't object to.

"I know you are, so am I. And I know you want to go home, and I know I've been rude and distant. I'm sorry, Erin," he said looking down.

I nodded a few times and then wiped the tears from my cheeks and eyes.

His eyes met mine then and they were soft, tender, and kind. His thumb started caressing the back of my hand and our eyes held. My heart sped up and I felt heat flood to my cheeks. And still I couldn't look away from his eyes.

At last, he let go of my hand and released my eyes from his intense stare. I took in a deep breath.

Then he smiled at me saying, "Do you want to go into town?"

I was astonished. Town? Here? What would it be like? I nodded with a timid smile. His answering grin was brilliant.

He helped me to my feet, which were a little wobbly, and he took me into the outdoor sunlight. Something I hadn't felt on my face for days. I squinted and smiled in the welcome brightness.

Heath pulled me along a real dirt path. I looked at everything around me. The greens and browns of the trees were breathtaking. And the wild flowers growing on the side of the trail were blooming in a million different shades. This place really was nothing like earth, it was far too beautiful. Then he spoke.

"Erin?" he asked softly.

"Hmmm," I answered back. I wasn't really paying attention for I was lost in the wonderland around me.

"Erin, I don't want to scare you or freak you our but," he stretched out the word and paused. "But, you don't have any features and so I couldn't say that you were my sister or my cousin. So... to avoid a messy situation, we're going to have to pretend to be man and wife." He looked at me sideways- with an apologetic grimace- to see how I would take it.

I was rather taken aback. There had to be another way, there just had to be.

"Why would people believe that?" I asked. "I'm human and like you said, I don't have any features."

"There is a race of men in this realm," he stated.

"Oh..."

"Erin, don't worry, you don't have to do anything 'wife-like' and I won't pull anything 'husband-like'. I'm only doing this to keep questions down. That's all," he snickered as he said this. "People probably won't talk to us anyway; I'm just trying to plan ahead."

I understood what he was saying- even if I was a little nervous- and just let it drop.

I was mentally preparing myself for a shock when I would enter the village. I was preparing for goblins, trolls, and elves and just the most amazing creatures. But I wasn't so lucky or so unlucky, how ever you look at it.

I only saw normal people, a little poorer and poorly dressed compared to earth's people but still, normal none the less. These people wore many layers of dark, dirty clothing. Almost like they wore all the clothing they owned on their backs at all times. I tried not to pay too much attention as we pulled on by.

They seemed cheerful though. They didn't act like beggars or people such as that. They seemed to be ok with their circumstances.

We kept walking past the people until we came to a richer larger part of the town. The people's clothes looked nothing like the people I had just seen. The village was abuzz with normal everyday sounds. And same as before, the people looked just like people on earth; only the attire was much different. I saw men with bows slung over their shoulders and women also. Cloth back packs and shoulder purses were also common. And the outfits themselves were more dark tones, deep blues, forest green, and shades of brown and black. The occasional little girl had a purple cloak on. Then the actually design of the garments were long and straight. Nothing like high fashion in London or New York. But the people were still so beautiful in what they were wearing.

The men had on large shirts and trousers and the women wore long dresses of mostly one color. There were collars coming out of some dresses and they were always a different shade of that same color. The sleeves on both the women's and the men's shirts were large and flowing.

I noticed also another significant thing about these people; all their ears were pointed.

"Are they elves?" I whispered to Heath. "Elves with pointed ears like you?"

"Yes," he whispered back. He continued to lead the way and I continued to follow.

The body types and facial features of the elves were just as diverse as on humans on earth. Although, I noticed many of the men were build tall and strong. Trained for war? Just a whole bunch of strong farm boys? I didn't know and I didn't have the guts to ask Heath.

I could understand most of the chatter in the open market, but ever now and then I would hear and see people speaking in a language I didn't know. But I did recognize it from just a few days ago. Hadn't Heath said something in that tongue? When I had tried to leave his home?

"What are they saying?" I asked him.

"It's the native dialect of the elfin people. And she's accusing him of charging her far too much for that loaf of bread," he chuckled at that last part and met my eyes. They were light, happy, and somewhat peaceful.

We pushed our way on through and I tried to be gracious and kind. Smiling at on going people and saying "Good day, excuse me," to just about every person I walked past. Then we came to a shop that was a little off the road. The store was selling jewelry- necklaces, bracelets and rings- decorated with the most beautiful beads and stones. Colors nothing like the attire of these people. No these colors were so bright they put spring flower petals to shame. And then there was a section of pieces that all the beads and gems were black and white. I couldn't decide which shade- all color or none- was loveliest.

No one was waiting in line at this stand like they were at others. There was however a girl standing behind the counter.

She was, no doubt, the most beautiful girl I had seen all day. Her hair flowed long and shiny down her back. It was black and to my surprise and delight, it had streaks of the brightest blue folded in it. That same blue was the color of her eyes. Her skin was slightly tanner than the rest of the people, but so much that I wondered if she was of the same race as the other people I'd seen. And her ears were pointed, but they weren't half as tall as the elves. Her dress was nothing like the women in the street. She was covered in a bright red dress and the collar was sun burnt orange. She had a belt of all white breaded yarn tied around her waste. And the dress itself held nicely to her curves. I also noticed she had a sword hooked onto the left side of her dress. Her V shaped neckline wasn't terribly low but low enough that she wore a necklace; an all white one matching her belt. The snowy necklace looked amazing against her tan skin. She looked far too beautiful to be standing alone behind the counter of a market shop.

I was about to ask Heath who or what she was when he spoke to her.

"Hello. Beautiful day isn't it?" he smiled at her. She smiled widely back at him. Then she turned to me and nodded still smiling.

"That it is, Kyson. And who might you be?" she asked me.

"Erin, his wi-" but Heath cut me off.

"Erin, just Erin. Erin meet Sundev-" he began but her eyes opened wide and he stuttered, "Sunde, my good friend Sunde. And Sunde meet Erin." he gestured to each of us as he introduced us.

She reached across the counter and I shook her hand. Her smile was stunning and I tried to smile warmly back.

"I was wondering if you could maybe get to know Erin, but I forgot you were working today," Heath said to her.

"Oh! Well, hmm Kyson..." she pondered for a moment. "I'm not running the shop tomorrow, maybe we can talk then," she answered nodding at me. I shrugged wordlessly.

My mind was buzzing, why was she calling him Kyson?

"Hey, one moment ladies," Heath said and he walked to a nearby stand and spoke with the man behind the counter.

I looked around and then at the pieces of jewelry. I felt Sunde's eyes on my face.

"Do you like them?" she asked sweetly.

"Yes! Do you make them?" I asked back.

"I blow the glass and everything," she chuckled. "Even cut down the trees myself." She pointed to a selection of pieces made all of wood. She appeared to be a very kind person. Maybe even someone I would enjoy being close friends with. I met her eyes and her smile was friendly.

She held up the certain ring I had been admiring. The band was of silver and it was laced in and out so it appeared to be crossing vines. And that was beautiful, but the truly stunning part was the stone. Bright reds and deep reds, amazing blues and greens, black and even white all swirled around the little, circular, gem. I could hardly breathe looking at it.

I looked into her face again and she raised her eyebrows.

"Oh... Oh, no! I haven't any money," I blushed, shaking my hands in front of me.

"I never asked for money, Erin," she grinned and grabbed my hand. The ring fit perfectly on the middle finger on my right hand.

"Wow. It looks marvelous on you," she commented. And it really did. I never thought my hands, or any hands for that matter, could look "beautiful". But at that moment my hand really did look amazing.

I was staring at my hand when I heard Heath speak.

"Sorry about that," he said to Sunde.

"Oh, no problem at all. Look at Erin's hand," she pointed to it with such a beautiful smile my heart ached with jealousy. I felt my self esteem go down a few notches.

Then I looked back at my hand it raised back up.

Heath was looking also, saying nothing. Then our eyes met and a soft, crooked smile formed on his lips.

"It looks lovely," he muttered, looked down at it once more. He then looked back and Sunde and I did as well. Something about her face was very different and I wasn't sure what it was.

"Well we best be off and let you return to your work," Heath spoke to her.

She smiled again and the sight made my heart choke slightly. Her smile, beautiful and stunning as it was, was forced. There was sadness in those outrageous blue eyes.

We looked at each other for a few moments. Then Heath pulled on my arm and I meekly smiled back to her.

What happened? Had I done something? Why was she upset?

-------------------------------

I wanted to meet more people, see more things, but we headed straight to his home.

"Did you enjoy that?" he asked me walking in the door.

"The fresh air was nice. And this place is... beautiful. Why did she call you Kyson?" I asked getting right to the point.

"I'm glad you liked it. And for the same reasons that if anyone asked we were married; to keep from making a mess. Some things about me must be kept a secret," he stated matter-of-factly.

"So she doesn't know you're name is Heath? Or…. Are you lying to me?"

"Oh no, my name is Heath Teline and she knows that. We just can't let anyone in that elfish market place know that," he winked at me, smirking.

"No we can't, can we..." I mused. I let the subject fall for the time being.

Hours passed and I found myself sitting by the window watching the sunset. My head was resting on my arm when I remember something important I forgot to ask Heath.

I turned to him and he was staring right at me. Why hadn't I felt that before? He swiftly looked away. There was a new question I wanted to ask him, but I let that go also and stuck to the original plan.

"Heath?" I asked him.

"Yes?" he muttered, looking at me again.

"What is she? Sunde I mean."

He stopped for a moment and looked at the floor. "How about I tell you tomorrow? It's a long story and you need sleep." He smiled and I noticed the darkness under his eyes.

"Don't you mean you need sleep? You kind of look terrible." I pondered that thought for moment. "Actually I haven't seen you sleep this entire time I've been with you. Do you need sleep? The vampire in you?" I asked him.

"Yes, I need sleep, but I don't need it often. At the least I can have one night every two months. I could sleep every night if I chose to, I just….choose not too," he informed me unsmiling. It seemed to me that he was troubled with something and I couldn't put my finger on what it was. "I will sleep tonight though. You're right, I'm extremely tired," he chuckled. The sound, to me, sounded somewhat forced.

He lit a fire in the fireplace and we went to our separate sides of the shack. We said goodnight to each other; something we had never done.

I was soon asleep and so was he.

---------------------------------------

I was woken by the sound of faint whimpering. I rolled over to see Heath facing me across the room. Tears ran down his face. His entire body was deathly still but his face. He was crying and grimacing in what looked like great pain. He them muttered something.

"Mommy... please," he paused and cried. "Please, mommy, stop. Please, mommy." His voice was a high pitched whimper like a little child's.

I began to sob for him, never taking my eyes from him. Then his face changed and took on a more adult look. He scowled in anger now. He kept this face or only a few seconds when suddenly he turned sorrowful. Not the pain of a child, like before, or the anger of a warrior, but the pain of a man...

I couldn't take it anymore. I whispered his name though my own pain and his eyes opened.

We stared at each other for an eternity. Tears streamed on each face. I broke the silence first.

"What did you see?"

His chin quivered and he rolled over, away from me. His back shook and I could hear his sobs. Even though he found sleep later that night, I never did.

During the night Iwhispered to him, even though I knew he wad fast asleep, "Where do you go when you're lonely, Heath? I'll follow you….." I promised myself that i really would follow him. Whatever he needed, I would help him...

"Where do you go when you're lonely?

Where do you go when you're blue?

Where do you go when you're lonely, I'll follow you

When the stars go blue"

If she is reading this (and she knows who she is lol) I love her and she was very gracious to let me use this scene... when I got lonely I'll go to you're house sissa missa : )

if you love me you will review! hahah totally just kidding... but for real tell me whatcha think ;) i hope i did a good job lol... i tried...

WATCH ME BLEED

keep it real

C T (R)

Baileyzzzzzzzzz